Last Friday, I wrote of my plans to take on Brenda’s weekend
challenge of Saying Grace, “not just at meal times, but every time I move from
one task or activity to the next.” The purpose being, as beautifully described by
Brenda, to experience an “intercepting, under-girding, increasing,
changing, deepening, enriching" grace in my day.
As I took time yesterday to reflect on how that worked out
for me, I was discouraged in how few times I actually remembered to do it. It seemed I did much more after-the-fact catching
up as the weekend progressed than actually beginning each task with “grace”. I was not feeling good about this challenge
at all. I gave myself a D. (Not an F, only
because I am sometimes much too kind to myself).
But then I read this morning’s devotion from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, which
began with these comforting words: “Do not be discouraged by the difficulty of
keeping your focus on Me. I know that
your heart’s desire is to be aware of My Presence continually.”
Just what I needed to hear!
“When you realize that
your mind has wandered away from Me, don’t be alarmed or surprised. You live in a world that has been rigged to
distract you. Each time you plow your
way through the massive distractions to communicate with Me, you achieve a victory. Rejoice in these tiny triumphs, and they
will increasingly light up your days.”
It’s time to refill my cup and continue to work at keeping
my focus on “saying Grace” in every circumstance, rejoicing in every tiny
triumph that brightens my day.
~~~
I'll have to take the tiny triumphs too, Sandy. I've wanted to start a prayer closet for myself, but lately have been so distracted, sometimes it's all I can do to say my prayers before bedtime. I need to stop letting people interfere with what I need to do.
ReplyDeleteSandy... what a lovely posting. And thank you for sharing those thoughts by Sarah Young... how perfectly they fit.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you continued to 'plow your way through the distractions and rejoiced in the tiny triumphs'....
I'm with you... I want to work at keeping my focus on Him as I walk through my days with all their events and tasks.
Jane, I had to read up on Prayer Closets. I know I have a "devotional chair" which calms me the moment I sit down in it. But a closet is an interesting concept. I'll have to think about that.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brenda, for the nice words. Your challenge was a good one giving me some good food for thought.